A car was deliberately set on fire at a garage linked to the Daniels criminal network in what police believe is the latest escalation in an ongoing gang war gripping central Scotland.
Emergency services rushed to Kelvinside Motor Company on Milton Road in Kirkintilloch shortly before 11pm on Saturday after the vehicle was firebombed. Firefighters tackled the blaze while police sealed off the area to investigate.
The attack is being treated as the latest in a string of violent incidents connected to the bitter feud surrounding the Daniels gang, one of Scotland’s most notorious criminal organisations. Investigators are working to establish the full circumstances of the firebombing and identify those responsible.
The Daniels network has been at the centre of a prolonged and bloody conflict that has seen shootings, arson attacks and other serious violence play out across the west of Scotland in recent years. Rivals and associates alike have found themselves caught up in a cycle of retaliatory strikes that shows little sign of letting up.
Kirkintilloch, a town in East Dunbartonshire just north of Glasgow, has seen tensions spill into its streets as the fallout from the gang war continues to spread beyond the city. Residents in the area were left shaken by the late night incident, with the sight of emergency vehicles and the smell of burning causing alarm in what is otherwise a quiet residential part of town.
Police Scotland confirmed they were called to the scene and are treating the fire as wilful. Enquiries are ongoing and officers are appealing for anyone who witnessed anything suspicious in the area on Saturday night to come forward.
The attack on the Milton Road garage adds to a growing list of incidents that detectives believe are connected to the wider gang conflict. Businesses and properties with links to those involved in the feud have repeatedly been targeted, with arson a favoured tactic among those looking to send a message or cause financial damage to their enemies.
Authorities have repeatedly warned that the gang war poses a serious risk not just to those directly involved but to innocent bystanders and members of the public who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The use of fire as a weapon in built up areas is considered particularly reckless given the potential for flames to spread to neighbouring properties.
Anyone with information about the Kirkintilloch firebombing is being urged to contact Police Scotland directly or pass information anonymously through Crimestoppers.